U.S. patent application number 16/968258 was filed with the patent office on 2021-02-04 for methods, apparatuses and computer programs for a first road resource user and for a road resource allocation entity.
The applicant listed for this patent is MAN Truck & Bus SE, Scania CV AB, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Roman ALIEIEV, Teodor BUBURUZAN, Joakim CERWALL, Jornod GUILLAUME, Thorsten HEHN, Ernst ZIELINSKI.
Application Number | 20210035074 16/968258 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005179951 |
Filed Date | 2021-02-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210035074 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ALIEIEV; Roman ; et
al. |
February 4, 2021 |
Methods, Apparatuses and Computer Programs for a First Road
Resource User and for a Road Resource Allocation Entity
Abstract
The present invention relates to methods, apparatuses and
computer programs for a first road resource user and for a road
resource allocation entity. The method for the first road resource
user comprises reserving (120) a road resource by transmitting
(122) a request for the road resource to a second road resource
user (200) or to a road resource allocation entity (400), receiving
(124) a grant for the road resource from the second road resource
user (200) or from the road resource allocation entity (400), and
storing (126) information related to the grant for the road
resource within a storage unit associated with the first road
resource user (100).
Inventors: |
ALIEIEV; Roman; (Stendal,
DE) ; GUILLAUME; Jornod; (Berlin, DE) ; HEHN;
Thorsten; (Ingolstadt, DE) ; BUBURUZAN; Teodor;
(Braunschweig, DE) ; CERWALL; Joakim; (Stockholm,
SE) ; ZIELINSKI; Ernst; (Bochum, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
MAN Truck & Bus SE
Scania CV AB |
Wolfsburg
Munich
Soedertaelje |
|
DE
DE
SE |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005179951 |
Appl. No.: |
16/968258 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
February 8, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2019/053095 |
371 Date: |
August 7, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 4/46 20180201; G06Q
20/0658 20130101; G06Q 50/188 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 20/06 20060101
G06Q020/06; H04W 4/46 20060101 H04W004/46; G06Q 50/18 20060101
G06Q050/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 19, 2018 |
EP |
18156096.2 |
Jul 31, 2018 |
EP |
18186671.6 |
Claims
1. A method for a first road resource user comprising: reserving a
road resource by: transmitting a request for the road resource to a
second road resource user or to a road resource allocation entity,
receiving a grant for the road resource from the second road
resource user or from the road resource allocation entity, and
storing information related to the grant for the road resource
within a storage unit associated with the first road resource
user.
2. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising
determining a priority value of the first road resource user for
the road resource, wherein the request for the road resource is
based on the priority value of the first road resource user for the
road resource.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further
comprises receiving information related to a priority value of the
second road resource user or of the road resource allocation entity
for the road resource from the second road resource user or from
the road resource allocation entity.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the request for the
road resource is transmitted to the second road resource user or to
the road resource allocation entity if the priority value of the
first road resource user for the road resource is higher than the
priority value currently associated with the road resource.
5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the grant for the road
resource is received from the second road resource user or from the
road resource allocation entity if the priority value of the first
road resource user for the road resource is higher than a priority
value of the second road resource user or has been selected as the
highest priority value by the road resource allocation entity for
the road resource.
6. The method according to claim 2 wherein the storage unit
associated with the first road resource user comprises a priority
value reservoir, wherein the priority value of the first road
resource user is limited by the priority value reservoir.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first road resource
user reserves the road resource by asserting the road resource if
the road resource is previously unreserved.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further
comprises: transferring the reservation for the road resource to a
third road resource user by: receiving a further request for the
road resource from the third road resource user, granting the
further request for the road resource based on the further request
for the road resource, and storing information related to the
further request within the storage unit associated with the first
road resource user.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the further request for
the road resource comprises information related to a priority value
of the third road resource user for the road resource, wherein the
further request is granted if the priority value of the third road
resource user for the road resource is higher than a priority value
of the first road resource user for the road resource.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the storage unit
associated with the first road resource user comprises a priority
value reservoir, wherein the storing of the information related to
the further request comprises transferring the priority value of
the third road resource user for the road resource from the third
road resource user to the priority value reservoir of the first
road resource user.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the road resource
comprises at least one element of the group of a passage on a
segment of a road at a time interval, a passage on a segment of a
fast lane at a time interval, an extended amount of space on a
road, an extended amount of time for passing a traffic light, a
priority in traffic, a usage of a parking spot at a time interval
and a consent to overtake.
12. A method for a road resource allocation entity, the method
comprising: receiving a request for a road resource from a road
resource user, wherein the request for the road resource is based
on a priority value of the road resource user for the road
resource; determining a priority value of the road resource
allocation entity for the road resource; granting the request for
the road resource, if the priority value of the road resource user
for the road resource is higher than the priority value of the road
resource allocation entity for the road resource; and storing
information related to the grant for the road resource within a
storage unit associated with the road resource allocation
entity.
13. A computer program having a program code for performing at
least one of the methods according to claim 1, when the computer
program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a programmable
hardware component.
14. An apparatus for a first road resource user, the apparatus
comprising: at least one interface for communicating with further
road resource users and/or with road resource allocation entities;
and a control module configured to: reserve a road resource by
transmitting a request for the road resource to a second road
resource user or to a road resource allocation entity, receiving a
grant for the road resource from the second road resource user or
from the road resource allocation entity, and storing information
related to the grant for the road resource within a storage unit
associated with the first road resource user.
15. An apparatus for a road resource allocation entity, the
apparatus comprising: at least one interface for communicating with
a road resource user; and a control module configured to: receive a
request for a road resource from the road resource user, wherein
the request for the road resource is based on a priority value of
the road resource user for the road resource determine a priority
value of the road resource allocation entity for the road resource,
grant the request for the road resource, if the priority value of
the road resource user for the road resource is higher than the
priority value of the road resource allocation entity for the road
resource, and store information related to the grant for the road
resource within a storage unit associated with the road resource
allocation entity.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to methods, apparatuses and
computer programs for a first road resource user and for a road
resource allocation entity, more specifically, but not exclusively,
to allocating a road resource to one or more road resource
users.
[0002] A key transportation goal may be to provide an "optimal" way
to reach the desired destination. The "optimality" might be
represented in different ways such as finding the fastest, safest,
most comfortable path, etc. One of the main challenges in finding
the desired path may be the impact of other road resource users on
the actual road state. The expected shortest path or the safest
lane at the complex traffic situation may be changed to
unacceptable within short time if other vehicles and road resource
users come into play. Furthermore, different vehicles may have
different driving preferences. For example, some vehicles, such as
ambulances, may desire to reach their destination in the minimum
amount of time, while other vehicles, such as trucks, may prefer to
reduce a fuel consumption.
[0003] EP18156096 shows a method and a system for a cooperative
operation of multiple vehicles, wherein a monetary incentive is
offered from a first vehicle to a second vehicle to perform an
action, e.g. to perform a driving maneuver or to provide data to
the first vehicle. As the driving preferences of different vehicles
vary, the momentary incentive offered by different vehicles may
also vary, which may lead to coordinated driving efforts that take
into account the driving preferences of the individual vehicles. In
some cases, the monetary incentive might lead to situations, in
which vehicles abuse the system by "hogging" road resources.
[0004] Research papers Laval et al.: "Real-time congestion pricing
strategies for toll facilities", Gutman: "Dynamic Pricing for Toll
Lanes--A Case Study" and Luo et al.: "Parametrized Dynamic Routing
of a Fleet of Cybercars" deal with coordinated driving management
strategies, in which a large number of vehicles are coordinated to
achieve an improved traffic flow. As these strategies are concerned
with the overall traffic flow, they do not take into account the
driving preferences of the individual vehicles, nor do they
safeguard against disadvantaging individual vehicles.
[0005] There may be a desire for providing an improved concept for
coordinating road resource users, which strikes a balance between
driving preferences of the road resource users.
[0006] Embodiments are based on the finding that a road comprises
various road resources that can be used by road resource users,
i.e. vehicles that drive on a road. A road resource may for example
be a passage on a segment at a road at a time interval, it may be a
parking spot, or it may be a priority of emergency vehicles in
dense traffic. At least some of the road resources may be desired
by more than one road resource user. To provide a fair balance in
cooperative driving among the road participants, the road resource
may be given to a road resource user that sets a high priority
value for the road resource, e.g. a vehicle that urgently needs to
reach a destination in time. To provide a counter balance, other
road resource users allowing the road resource user to overtake may
be compensated by the road resource user, so the next time they
desire preference at a road resource, e.g. to maintain a
fuel-efficient driving style, they can set a high priority value.
This may strike a fair balance between situations, in which road
participants let other road participants take preference, and other
situations, in which the road participants take preference
themselves. Additionally, the priority values may be chosen by the
individual road resource users to reflect their driving
preference.
[0007] At least some embodiments relate to a method for a first
road resource user. The method comprises reserving a road resource
by transmitting a request for the road resource to a second road
resource user or to a road resource allocation entity, receiving a
grant for the road resource from the second road resource user or
from the road resource allocation entity, and storing information
related to the grant for the road resource within a storage unit
associated with the first road resource user. Storing the
information related to the grant within a storage unit associated
with the first road resource user may enable keeping a balance for
road resources assigned to road resource users, in which none of
the road resource users might be disadvantaged.
[0008] The method may further comprise determining a priority value
of the first road resource user for the road resource. The request
for the road resource may be based on the priority value of the
first road resource user for the road resource. The priority value
of the first road resource user for the road resource may indicate
how valuable using the road resource is to the first road resource
user. This may provide a comparative value if more than one road
resource user wants to use the road resource or if the road
resource can only be used if other road resource users accommodate
for it.
[0009] In some embodiments, the method further comprises receiving
information related to a (ego) priority value of the second road
resource user or of the road resource allocation entity for the
road resource from the second road resource user or from the road
resource allocation entity. The priority value of the second road
resource user or of the road resource allocation entity for the
road resource may help the first road resource user to decide,
whether to attempt to reserve the road resource.
[0010] The request for the road resource might be transmitted to
the second road resource user or to the road resource allocation
entity if the priority value of the first road resource user for
the road resource is higher than the priority value currently
associated with the road resource, e.g. the (ego) priority value of
the second road resource user or of the road resource allocation
entity for the road resource. To successfully reserve the road
resource, the first road resource user might choose a priority
value that is higher than the priority value of the second road
resource user or of the road resource allocation entity for the
road resource. The first road resource user might reserve the road
resource (only) if the priority value of the first road resource
user for the road resource is higher than the priority value of the
second road resource user or of the road resource allocation entity
for the road resource.
[0011] The grant for the road resource may be received from the
second road resource user or from the road resource allocation
entity if the priority value of the first road resource user for
the road resource is higher than a (ego) priority value of the
second road resource user or has been selected as the highest
priority value by the road resource allocation entity for the road
resource. This may provide a confirmation of a successful
reservation of the road resource to the first road resource
user.
[0012] In at least some embodiments, the storage unit associated
with the first road resource user comprises a priority value
reservoir. The priority value of the first road resource user for
the road resource may be determined based on the priority value
reservoir. The priority value of the first road resource user may
be limited by the priority value reservoir. For example, the
priority value reservoir may grow, if a reservation is transferred
from the first road resource user to a third road resource user,
and it may decrease, if a road resource is reserved for the first
road resource user. Thus, the priority value reservoir may reflect
the priority values spent on previous reservations and received for
a transfer of at least some of said reservations.
[0013] The first road resource user may further reserve the road
resource by asserting the road resource if the road resource is
previously unreserved, e.g. if no other road resource user has
previously reserved the road resource and if the road resource is
not associated with a road resource allocation entity. For example,
the asserting of the road resource may comprise declaring, that the
road resource is reserved for the road resource user. This may
enable reserving the road resource if the road resource is
previously unreserved.
[0014] In some embodiments, the reservation for the road resource
may be transferred to another (e.g. a third) road resource user.
The method may further comprise transferring the reservation for
the road resource to a third road resource user by receiving a
further request for the road resource from the third road resource
user, granting the further request for the road resource based on
the further request for the road resource, and storing information
related to the further request within the storage unit associated
with the first road resource user. This may enable a dynamic
exchange of reservations for road resources, which may adapt to a
current traffic situation.
[0015] In at least some embodiments, the further request for the
road resource comprises information related to a priority value of
the third road resource user for the road resource, wherein the
further request is granted if the priority value of the third road
resource user for the road resource is higher than a priority value
of the first road resource user for the road resource. As a result,
the reservation for the road resource may be transferred to the
third road resource user if the third road resource user values the
road resource more than the first road resource user does.
[0016] This may be reflected by the priority value reservoir. The
storing of the information related to the further request may
comprise transferring the priority value of the third road resource
user for the road resource from the third road resource user to the
priority value reservoir. The storing of the information related to
the further request may comprise adding the priority value of the
third road resource user for the road resource to the priority
value reservoir. This may enable the first road resource user to
set a higher priority value in the future.
[0017] For example, the road resource may comprise at least one
element of the group of a passage on a segment of a road at a time
interval, a passage on a segment of a fast lane at a time interval,
an extended amount of space on a road, an extended amount of time
for passing a traffic light, a priority in traffic, a usage of a
parking spot at a time interval and a consent to overtake. The
method may be used in various road situations to find a balance for
road resources assigned to road resource users.
[0018] In some examples, the priority value of the first road
resource user for the road resource may be determined based on the
priority value currently associated with the road resource, e.g.
the priority value of the second road resource user or of the road
resource allocation entity for the road resource. This may
facilitate a negotiation between road resource users and or between
the first road resource user and the road resource allocation
entity, which may be managed by a road resource allocation
function.
[0019] Embodiments further provide a method for a road resource
allocation entity. The method comprises receiving a request for a
road resource from a road resource user. The method further
comprises determining a priority value of the road resource
allocation entity for the road resource. The method further
comprises granting the request for the road resource, if a priority
value of the road resource user for the road resource is higher
than the priority value of the road resource allocation entity for
the road resource. The method further comprises storing information
related to the grant for the road resource within a storage unit
associated with the road resource allocation entity. This may
enable granting the road resource to a road resource user based on
a time-variant priority value of the road infrastructure. For
example, the road resource allocation entity may determine its
priority value based on a variety of factors, which may be used to
control and improve a flow of traffic.
[0020] Embodiments further provide a computer program having a
program code for performing at least one of the methods, when the
computer program is executed on a computer, a processor, or a
programmable hardware component.
[0021] Embodiments further provide an apparatus for a first road
resource user. The apparatus comprises at least one interface for
communicating with further road resource users and/or with road
resource allocation entities. The apparatus comprises a control
module configured to reserve a road resource by transmitting a
request for the road resource to a second road resource user or to
a road resource allocation entity, receiving a grant for the road
resource from the second road resource user or from the road
resource allocation entity, and storing information related to the
grant for the road resource within a storage unit associated with
the first road resource user. Storing the information related to
the grant within a storage unit associated with the road resource
user may enable keeping a balance for road resources assigned to
road resource users, in which none of the road resource users might
be disadvantaged.
[0022] Embodiments further provide an apparatus for a road resource
allocation entity. The apparatus comprises at least one interface
for communicating with a road resource user. The apparatus further
comprises a control module configured to receive a request for a
road resource from the road resource user. The request for the road
resource is based on a priority value of the road resource user for
the road resource. The control module is configured to determine a
priority value of the road resource allocation entity for the road
resource. The control module is configured to grant the request for
the road resource, if the priority value of the road resource user
for the road resource is higher than the priority value of the road
resource allocation entity for the road resource. The control
module is configured to store information related to the grant for
the road resource within a storage unit associated with the road
resource allocation entity. This may enable granting the road
resource to a road resource user based on a time-variant priority
value of the road infrastructure. For example, the road resource
allocation entity may determine its priority value based on a
variety of factors, which may be used to control and improve a flow
of traffic.
[0023] Some other features or aspects will be described using the
following non-limiting embodiments of apparatuses or methods or
computer programs or computer program products by way of example
only, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0024] FIG. 1a shows a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for
a road resource user;
[0025] FIG. 1b shows a more detailed flow chart of an embodiment of
a method for a road resource user;
[0026] FIG. 1c shows a block diagram of an embodiment of an
apparatus for a road resource user;
[0027] FIG. 2a shows a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for
a road resource allocation entity;
[0028] and
[0029] FIG. 2b shows a block diagram of an embodiment of an
apparatus for a road resource allocation entity.
[0030] Various example embodiments will now be described more fully
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example
embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of
lines, layers or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Optional
components may be illustrated using broken, dashed or dotted
lines.
[0031] Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of
various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof
are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be
described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there
is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms
disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover
all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the
scope of the invention. Like numbers refer to like or similar
elements throughout the description of the figures.
[0032] As used herein, the term, "or" refers to a non-exclusive or,
unless otherwise indicated (e.g., "or else" or "or in the
alternative"). Furthermore, as used herein, words used to describe
a relationship between elements should be broadly construed to
include a direct relationship or the presence of intervening
elements unless otherwise indicated. For example, when an element
is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another
element, the element may be directly connected or coupled to the
other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast,
when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or
"directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening
elements present. Similarly, words such as "between", "adjacent",
and the like should be interpreted in a like fashion.
[0033] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an"
and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further
understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes" or
"including," when used herein, specify the presence of stated
features, integers, steps, operations, elements or components, but
do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other
features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components or
groups thereof.
[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and
scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example
embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g.,
those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted
as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the
context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an
idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined
herein.
[0035] At least some embodiments are based on the finding that a
road comprises various road resources that can be used by road
resource users. A road resource may be defined as the capability to
use a road element such as a road segment, a parking spot, a road
lane, a road intersection etc. under certain condition at a certain
time. It means that the resource is spatially and temporally
located. The conditions can be a time duration, a velocity, an
acceleration, an area, a volume etc. At least some of the road
resources may be desired by more than one road resource user.
[0036] Moreover, the use of certain road resources may be
exclusively assigned to a single road resource user or may be
shared among road resource users with the defined rules and rights
among users of the shared resources. An example of shared use of
road resources could be finding an optimal distance between
vehicles in the parking lot, which is a section of the road not
directly used by neither of vehicles but could be important to
enable comfortable leaving parking area maneuver sometime in the
future. Similarly, finding the optimal common traffic flow speed on
the road could be another example of using shared road resources.
In the latter case, one vehicle (road resource user) could put
higher value on the preferred common flow speed and shift the
common flow speed closer to the desired value.
[0037] To provide a fair balance in cooperative driving and overall
road resource utilization among the road resource users, the road
resource allocation mechanism may be used. The resource allocation
mechanism may comprise a set of pre-defined constraints and instant
(real-time) road resource requests. It may be a function which
selects the request for resources (for an exclusive or shared use)
among all inquiries, which has the highest offered priority value
for using the resources given available constraints. The resource
allocation function then may be repeated again if any new request
for the same road resources has been proposed. The resource
evaluation may be either event based or conducted over periodic
intervals. If the resource request event occurs or if the time
interval expires, the algorithm of finding the request with the
highest proposed value may be repeated again.
[0038] Every time after the resource allocation function selected
the new offered priority value for the certain resources (which
exceeds the currently assigned priority value), the cost (e.g. an
amount of tokens) of using the requested resource may be increased
and the current resource user might either increase its original
offer to exceed the newly assign value or the resources will be
given to a road resource user that sets a higher priority value for
the road resource. For the case when the road resources belong to
some infrastructure owner, the cost of using road resources over
time and space may be "paid" to the infrastructure owner. For the
toll-free roads, the positive difference in the value between the
earlier and the newly assigned values may be transferred to the
road resource user with the previously assigned resource value.
Such an approach would avoid the problem of resource
manipulation--if resources are in demand, the current resource user
must either vacate them or increase expenses for using them.
[0039] As an example of this process could be a vehicle that
urgently needs to reach a destination in time. If the new user has
been selected for the use of road resources, a timely confirmation
about the user change (ability of the earlier user to vacate the
resources in time) may be provided from the previous user to the
new user and to other involved road participants. In case if no
confirmation or if it is not possible to vacate the resources in
time, the newly assigned value as well as an additional penalty may
be applied to the previous road resource user and the resources may
be further kept with the earlier resource user. The information
about unsuccessful road resource user change may then be explicitly
sent to all involved road participants.
[0040] Finally, if the new owner (road resource user) of the road
resource has been successfully selected, an update about it may be
sent to all other road resource users which were involved in the
resource selection process. Moreover, the maximum time allowed to
receive the acknowledgment from the earlier road resource user may
be scenario and application dependent.
[0041] FIGS. 1a and 1b show flow charts of embodiments of a method
for a first road resource user 100. The method comprises reserving
120 a road resource. The road resource is reserved by transmitting
122 a request for the road resource to a second road resource user
200 or to a road resource allocation entity 400 (which may be
centralized or distributed), receiving 124 a grant for the road
resource from the second road resource user 200 or from the road
resource allocation entity 400, and storing 126 information related
to the grant for the road resource within a storage unit associated
with the first road resource user 100, e.g. if the road resource is
previously reserved (or associated with a road resource allocation
entity 400).
[0042] FIG. 1c shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a
corresponding apparatus 10 for a first road resource user. The
apparatus 10 comprises at least one interface 12 for communicating
with further road resource users and/or with road resource
allocation entities (e.g. with the second road resource user 200, a
third road resource user 300 and/or the road resource allocation
entity 400). The control module 14 is configured to reserve a road
resource. The control module 14 is configured to reserve the road
resource by transmitting a request for the road resource to a
second road resource user 200 or to a road resource allocation
entity 400, receiving a grant for the road resource from the second
road resource user 200 or from the road resource allocation entity
400, and storing information related to the grant for the road
resource within a storage 16 unit associated with the first road
resource user 100, e.g. if the road resource is previously reserved
(or associated with a road resource allocation entity 400). If not
specified otherwise, the control module 14 may be configured to
perform the method of FIGS. 1a and 1 b, e.g. in conjunction with
the at least one interface 12. In at least some embodiments, as
further shown in FIG. 1c, the apparatus 10 may further comprise the
storage unit 16. FIG. 1c further shows the first road resource user
100 comprising the apparatus 10.
[0043] The following description relates to both the method of
FIGS. 1a and 1b and the apparatus 10 of FIG. 1c.
[0044] In at least some embodiments, the first road resource user
100 (and/or the second road resource user 200, the third road
resource user 300) may be an entity that uses a road, e.g. a
vehicle or a pedestrian. In other words, a road resource user may
be a road participant. For example, if the pedestrian is the first
road resource user 100, or if the vehicle is incapable of
performing the method, the method may be performed by a mobile
device of the pedestrian or of a driver of the vehicle. For
example, the vehicle may be a land vehicle, a road vehicle, a car,
an automobile, a motorbike, an autonomous vehicle, a
semi-autonomous vehicle, a remote-controlled vehicle, a vehicle in
cooperative driving mode, an off-road vehicle, a motor vehicle, a
truck or a lorry.
[0045] In embodiments, the road resource may be or comprise at
least one element of the group of a passage on a segment of a road
at a time interval, a passage on a segment of a fast lane at a time
interval, an extended amount of space on a road, an extended amount
of time for passing a traffic light, a priority in traffic, a usage
of a parking spot at a time interval and a consent to overtake. In
some embodiments, a road resource may be assigned exclusively to a
road resource user. Alternatively, a road resource may be shared
among two or more road resources users, e.g. only a part of the
road resource may be assigned to a road resource user. For example,
a road resource may be reserved. The reservation for a road reserve
may be obtained by a road resource user (e.g. the first road
resource user 100) from a road resource allocation entity (e.g. the
road resource allocation entity 400), from a further road resource
user (e.g. the second road resource user 200) or may be asserted
(e.g. claimed) by the first road resource user. For example, each
road resource might be granted (only) for a time interval. In at
least some embodiments, a road resource user might be required to
repeat reserving the road resource after the time interval expires,
e.g. to repeat transferring an amount of tokens.
[0046] The method comprises reserving 120 the road resource. If the
road resource is previously reserved (or associated with a road
resource allocation entity 400), the road resource may be reserved
as detailed above. If the road resource is previously unreserved
(and not associated with a road resource allocation entity), the
first road resource user 100 may reserve 120 the road resource by
asserting 130 the road resource.
[0047] In at least some embodiments, a road resource is either
associated with a road resource allocation entity or not associated
with a road resource allocation entity. A road resource may be
associated with a road resource allocation entity, if a road
resource allocation entity at least initially grants a reservation
for the road resource. For example, a toll road may be associated
with a tollbooth. The tollboth may be the road resource allocation
entity. The tollbooth may grant a reservation to a road resource of
the toll road to road resource users. In this case, for example,
the road resource may be a passage of the first road resource user
on a segment of the toll road (e.g. a pre-determined length of a
lane of the toll road) at a time interval. In some embodiments, the
first road resource user may transfer the reserved road resource to
a further road resource user, e.g. the third road resource user
300. Other road resources might not be associated with a road
resource allocation entity. For example, on an open road, or at a
crossroads, the road resource might be (initially) reserved 120 by
asserting 130 the road resource. In at least some embodiments, the
road resource allocation entity may be centralized or
decentralized. For example, the road resource allocation entity may
be a road infrastructure entity.
[0048] In various embodiments, asserting 130 the road resource may
comprise transmitting a survey signal related to the road resource
to road resource users and/or road resource allocation entities in
a vicinity of the first road resource user 100. If the road
resource is previously reserved, a road resource user in the
vicinity of the first road resource user 100 may respond with an
indication, that the road resource is (already) reserved. If the
road resource is associated with a road resource allocation entity,
the road resource allocation entity may respond with an indication,
that the road resource is associated with the road resource
allocation entity. Alternatively, the first road resource user in
the vicinity of the first road resource user 100 may periodically
broadcast the indication, that the road resource is (already)
reserved, and/or the road resource allocation entity may
periodically broadcast the indication, that the road resource is
associated with the road resource allocation entity. The method may
comprise receiving the indication, that the road resource is
(already) reserved or the indication, that the road resource is
associated with the road resource allocation entity. If no
indication, that the road resource is (already) reserved or no
indication, that the road resource is associated with the road
resource allocation entity is received by the first road resource
user 100, the asserting 130 of the road resource may comprise
declaring, that the road resource is reserved for the first road
resource user. The first road resource user 100 may further
proclaim that the road resource is reserved by the first road
resource user 100. For example, the method may further comprise
broadcasting an indication, that the road resource is (already)
reserved (by the first road resource user 100). Alternatively, the
method may further comprise responding with the indication that the
road resource is already reserved, if a survey signal related to
the road resource is received.
[0049] In various embodiments, the second road resource user 200
(and/or the third road resource user 300) may be implemented
similar to the first road resource user 100. The second road
resource user may e.g. be a further vehicle or a further
pedestrian. The second road resource user 200 may share a road with
the first road resource user 100. The second road resource user 200
may be the current (or previous) "owner" of the reservation for the
road resource, e.g. the road resource may be currently (or
previously) reserved to the second road resource user 200. The road
resource allocation entity 400 may be an entity that (at least
initially) grants a reservation with the road resource. The road
resource allocation entity 400 may be associated with the road
resource. The road resource allocation entity may e.g. be one of a
traffic management system, a tollbooth, a parking management
system, a crossroads coordination system or a traffic flow control
system. In at least some examples, the road resource allocation
entity may be located in a vicinity of the road resource.
[0050] In various examples, the first road resource user 100, the
first road resource user 200 and/or the road resource allocation
entity 400 may communicate using one of vehicle-to-vehicle
communication (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (V2I),
vehicle-to-X communication (V2X), cellular vehicle-to-vehicle
communication (C-V2V), cellular vehicle-to-infrastructure
communication (C-V2I) and cellular vehicle-to-X communication
(C-V2X) (or one of car-to-car communication (C2C),
car-to-infrastructure communication (C2I), car-to-X communication
(C2X), cellular car-to-car communication (C-C2C), cellular
car-to-infrastructure communication (C-C2I) and cellular car-to-X
communication (C-C2X)). Vehicle-to-X communication (or car-to-X
communication) may denote either vehicle-to-vehicle communication
(or car-to-car communication) or vehicle-to-infrastructure
communication (or car-to-infrastructure communication. The first
road resource user 100, the first road resource user 200 and/or the
road resource allocation entity 400 may communicate based on a
vehicular communication protocol, e.g. based on a direct vehicular
communication protocol or based on a cellular vehicular
communication protocol. The first road resource user 100, the first
road resource user 200 and/or the road resource allocation entity
400 may communicate either directly (without using a base station),
e.g. using one of V2V, V2I, V2X, C2C, C2I, C2X, or via a base
station, e.g. using C-V2V, C-V2I, C-V2X, C-C2C, C-C2I, C-V2X. For
example, the (direct) vehicular communication protocol may be based
on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standard
802.11p. The at least one interface 12 (and/or at least one
interface 42 of FIG. 2b) may correspond to one or more inputs
and/or outputs for receiving and/or transmitting information, which
may be in digital (bit) values according to a specified code,
within a module, between modules or between modules of different
entities. The at least one interface 12; 42 may be configured to
communicate via the (direct or cellular) vehicular communication
network and/or via the cellular mobile communication system. The
cellular vehicular communication protocol may be based on a
cellular mobile communication system. In general, the cellular
mobile communication system may, for example, correspond to one of
the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-standardized mobile
communication networks, where the term (cellular) mobile
communication system is used synonymously to mobile communication
network. The (cellular) mobile or wireless communication system may
correspond to, for example, a 5th Generation system (5G), a
Long-Term Evolution (LTE), an LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), High Speed
Packet Access (HSPA), a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System
(UMTS) or a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), an
evolved-UTRAN (e-UTRAN), a Global System for Mobile communication
(GSM) or Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network, a
GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), or mobile communication
networks with different standards, for example, a Worldwide
Inter-operability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) network IEEE 802.16
or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) IEEE 802.11, generally an
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) network, a
Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network, a Code Division
Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Wideband-CDMA (WCDMA) network, a
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) network, a Spatial
Division Multiple Access (SDMA) network, etc.
[0051] In at least some embodiments, the request for the road
resource transmitted by the first road resource user 100 may be a
reservation request for the road resource. The request for the road
resource may indicate that the first road resource user 100 wishes
or intends to reserve the road resource. The request for the road
resource may comprise information related to an identity of the
first road resource user 100. In at least some embodiments, the
request for the road resource may indicate or comprise a priority
value of the first road resource user 100 for the road resource.
The request for the road resource may comprise information related
to the priority value of the first road resource user 100 for the
road resource.
[0052] In various embodiments, the receiving 124 of the grant for
the road resource from the second road resource user 200 or from
the road resource allocation entity 400 may comprise receiving an
indication from the second road resource user 200 or from the road
resource allocation entity 400, that the reservation for the road
resource for the first road resource user 100 is/was successful.
For example, the receiving 124 of the grant for the road resource
may comprise receiving a cryptographic secret associated with the
road resource. Alternatively, receiving 124 the grant for the road
resource may comprise receiving a broadcast of the second road
resource user 200 or of the road resource allocation entity 400
that the road resource is reserved by the first road resource user
100. For example, the grant for the road resource may be based on a
blockchain data structure. Here, the term "blockchain" may be used
for any distributed-ledger information storing approach. The
receiving 124 of the grant for the road resource may comprise
receiving at least a part of the blockchain data structure
comprising information related to the reservation for the first
road resource user 100 for the road structure. The grant for the
road resource may be cryptographically linked to the blockchain
data structure. The blockchain data structure may be or comprise a
continuously growing list of records (e.g. records related to
grants) which are linked and secured using cryptography.
[0053] For example, the first road resource user 100 may comprise
and/or carry the storage unit. For example, the storage unit (e.g.
the storage unit 16) may be a (persistent) memory unit, e.g. a
flash memory. The information related to the grant for the road
resource may be stored locally at the first road resource user 100.
Alternatively, the storage unit may be provided and/or managed by a
central entity. In this case, the storing of the information
related to the grant may comprise transmitting the information
related to the grant to the central entity. Alternatively, the
central entity may receive the information related to the grant
from the second road resource user 200 or from the road resource
allocation entity 400, and the storing 126 may comprise receiving
an acknowledgement for the storing of the information related to
the grant by the central entity. In at least some embodiments, the
information related to the grant for the road resource may document
the reservation for the road resource for the first road resource
user 100. In at least some examples, the information related to the
grant for the road resource may comprise information related to a
priority value of the first road resource user 100 for the road
resource. For example, a priority value (e.g. the priority value of
the first road resource user 100 for the road resource, the
priority value of the second road resource user 200 for the road
resource, the priority value of the road resource allocation entity
400 for the road resource and/or the priority value of the third
road resource user 300 for the road resource) may be represented by
an amount of tokens. The information related to the grant may
indicate the amount of tokens the first road resource user 100 has
spent for reserving the road resource.
[0054] The amount of tokens may be subtracted from a priority value
reservoir comprised by the storage unit. For example, if the
transmitted 122 request for the road resource comprises information
related to the priority value (corresponding to the amount of
tokens), the received 124 grant for the road resource may indicate,
that the amount of tokens corresponding to the priority value is to
be transferred (or has been transferred) to the second road
resource user 200 or to the road resource allocation entity 400,
and the amount of tokens may be subtracted from the priority value
reservoir to store 126 the information related to the grant. In a
basic example, the information related to the grant may correspond
to the priority value or to the amount of tokens.
[0055] In various embodiments, the method further comprises
determining 110 the priority value of the first road resource user
100 for the road resource. The priority value of the first road
resource user for the road resource may indicate how valuable using
the road resource is to the first road resource user 100. For
example, the determining 110 of the priority value may be based on
one or more priorities of the first road resource user 100. The one
or more priorities may e.g. comprise at least one of a fuel
consumption of the first road resource user 100, a travel time of
the first road resource user 100, an inclination to perform driving
maneuvers of the first road resource user 100, an amount of space
required or desired by the first road resource user 100, a
destination of the first road resource user 100 and a driving
capability of the first road resource user 100. The request for the
road resource may be based on the priority value of the first road
resource user 100 for the road resource. For example, the request
for the road resource may comprise the priority value of the first
road resource user 100 for the road resource or information related
to the priority value of the first road resource user 100 for the
road resource. For example, the priority value of the first road
resource user 100 for the road resource may be represented by
tokens. An amount of tokens may correspond to the priority value of
the first road resource user 100 for the road resource. The tokens
may be exchanged (e.g.) between road resource users and/or road
resource allocation entities. The tokens may be stored within a
priority value reservoir of the storage unit.
[0056] For example, the storage unit associated with the first road
resource user 100 may comprise a priority value reservoir. The
priority value of the first road resource user 100 for the road
resource may be determined 110 based on the priority value
reservoir. For example, the priority value reservoir of the first
road resource user 100 may be a limit for the priority value the
first road resource user 100 may determine. For example, if the
priority value reservoir is empty or low, no or a low priority
value may be set. In at least some embodiments, the priority value
reservoir may comprise a finite amount of tokens. If the first road
resource user reserves a road resource, an amount of tokens
corresponding to the priority value of the first road resource user
100 for the road resource may be subtracted from the priority value
reservoir. For example, the storing 126 of the information related
to the grant for the road resource may comprise subtracting 128a
the priority value (e.g. the amount of tokens corresponding to the
priority value) of the first road resource user 100 for the road
resource from the priority value reservoir. The method further may
comprise transferring 128b the priority value (e.g. the amount of
tokens corresponding to the priority value) of the first road
resource user 100 for the road resource to the second road resource
user 200 or to the road resource allocation entity 400. If the
first road resource user transfers reservation for the road
resource to a third road resource user, a further amount of tokens
corresponding to the priority value of the third road resource user
100 for the road resource may be added to the priority value
reservoir. In at least some embodiments, the priority value of the
first road resource user 100 may be limited by the priority value
reservoir. For example, the first road resource user 100 might be
able to set the priority value only as high, as the finite amount
of tokens of the priority value reservoir associated with the first
road resource user 100 might allow. In at least some embodiments,
the total amount of tokens may be limited. The limit on available
resources can be defined for each road resource (e.g. road segment)
by the infrastructure owner or can be mapped from some other
available limited resources. Road resource users may trade the
(available) tokens to trade reservation for the road resources. The
volume of such reservoir may be either predefined and limited or
may be flexible and depend on the relation between its volume and
some other parameters, such as price per reservoir's volume.
[0057] In at least some embodiments, the grant for the road
resource may be received 124 from the second road resource user 200
or from the road resource allocation entity 400 if the priority
value of the first road resource user 100 for the road resource is
higher than a priority value of the second road resource user 200
or has been selected as the highest priority value (e.g. among one
or more reservation requests for the road resource) by the road
resource allocation entity 400 for the road resource. In other
words, the second road resource user 200 or the road resource
allocation entity 400 may grant the (reservation) request by the
first road resource user 100 for the road resource if the priority
value of the first road resource user 100 for the road resource is
higher than a priority value of the second road resource user 200
or if no other road resource user has indicated a higher priority
value to the road resource allocation entity 400 for the road
resource. The second road resource user 200 or the road resource
allocation entity 400 may grant the (reservation) request by the
first road resource user 100 for the road resource if the priority
value of the first road resource user 100 indicates, that it is
more valuable to the first road resource user 100 to use the road
resource than to the second road resource user 200, that is more
valuable to the first road resource user 100 to use the road
resource than it is to the road resource allocation entity 400 to
leave the road resource unreserved, or that the priority value of
the first road resource user 100 is higher than a priority value of
other road resource users for the road resource. The grant for the
road resource may be received 124 from the second road resource
user 200 or from the road resource allocation entity 400 if the
priority value of the first road resource user 100 indicates, that
it is more valuable to the first road resource user 100 to use the
road resource than to the second road resource user 200, that is
more valuable to the first road resource user 100 to use the road
resource than it is to the road resource allocation entity 400 to
leave the road resource unreserved, or if the priority value of the
first road resource user 100 is higher than a priority value of
other road resource users for the road resource.
[0058] In at least some embodiments, as further shown in FIG. 1b,
the method further may comprise receiving 112 information related
to a priority value of the second road resource user 200 or of the
road resource allocation entity 400 for the road resource from the
second road resource user 200 or from the road resource allocation
entity 400. For example, the priority value of the second road
resource user 200 may be an ego priority value of the second road
resource user for the road resource, e.g. a priority value the
second road resource user 200 places on using the road resource.
For example, information related to a priority value of the second
road resource user 200 or of the road resource allocation entity
400 for the road resource may be broadcast periodically by the
second road resource user 200 or by the road resource allocation
entity 400. Alternatively, the information related to a priority
value of the second road resource user 200 or of the road resource
allocation entity 400 for the road resource may be received in
response to the request for the transmitted 122 request for the
road resource. In at least some embodiments, the method may
comprise negotiating the reservation for the road resource for the
first road resource user 100 based on the transmitted 122 request
for the road resource and based on the information related to a
priority value of the second road resource user 200 or of the road
resource allocation entity 400 for the road resource. For example,
the request for the road resource may be transmitted 122 to the
second road resource user 200 or to the road resource allocation
entity 400 if the priority value of the first road resource user
100 for the road resource is higher than the priority value
currently associated with the road resource, e.g. the priority
value of the second road resource user 200 or of the road resource
allocation entity 400 for the road resource. The first road
resource user 100 may refrain from transmitting the request for the
road resource if the priority value currently associated with the
road resource is higher than the priority value of the first road
resource user 100 for the road resource. For example, the request
may be sent before the priority value of all participants willing
to get this resource has been compared. So at this point it might
not be known if the priority value is higher than the value of
others but it should be higher than the currently assigned value
for the given resource. Alternatively or additionally, the priority
value of the first road resource user 100 for the road resource may
be determined 110 based on the priority value currently associated
with the road resource, e.g. based on the priority value of the
second road resource user 200 or of the road resource allocation
entity 400 for the road resource. If the priority value currently
associated with the road resource, e.g. the priority value of the
second road resource user 200 or of the road resource allocation
entity 400 for the road resource is known to the first road
resource user 100, the first road resource user 100 may determine
the priority value of the first road resource user 100 for the road
resource based on the priority value currently associated with the
road resource, e.g. based on the priority value of the second road
resource user 200 or of the road resource allocation entity 400 for
the road resource, e.g. such that the priority value of the first
road resource user 100 for the road resource (just) surpasses the
priority value currently associated with the road resource, e.g.
the priority value of the second road resource user 200 or of the
road resource allocation entity 400 for the road resource.
[0059] In at least some examples, as further shown in FIG. 1b, the
method further comprises transferring 140 the reservation for the
road resource to a third road resource user 300. The transferring
140 of the reservation for the road resource may comprise receiving
142 a further (reservation) request for the road resource from the
third road resource user 300. The further request for the road
resource may be implemented similar to the request for the road
resource. For example, the third road resource user 300 may perform
the method, and the further request for the road resource may
correspond to the request for the road resource as transmitted 122
by the third road resource user 300. In at least some examples, the
further request for the road resource may be received 142 in
response to the broadcasted indication, that the road resource is
(already) reserved by the first road resource user 100.
[0060] The transferring 140 of the reservation for the road
resource may further comprise granting 144 the further request for
the road resource based on the further request for the road
resource. For example, the further request for the road resource
may comprise information related to a priority value of the third
road resource user 300 for the road resource. The further request
may be granted 144 if the priority value of the third road resource
user 300 for the road resource is higher than a priority value of
the first road resource user 100 for the road resource. The first
road resource user 100 may grant the further (reservation) request
by the first road resource user 100 for the road resource if the
priority value of the third road resource user 300 indicates that
it is more valuable to the third road resource user 300 to use the
road resource than to the first road resource user 100. If the
priority value of the third road resource user 300 for the road
resource is lower than a priority value of the first road resource
user 100 for the road resource and higher than the priority value
of the second road resource user 200 or of the road resource
allocation entity 400, the first road resource user 100 might
transfer an amount of tokens representing the difference between
the priority value of the third road resource user 300 and the
priority value of the second road resource user 200 or of the road
resource allocation entity 400 to the second road resource user 200
or to the road resource allocation entity 400 (e.g. to the previous
owner of the road resource). For example, every new request that
exceeds the previous priority value might not be ignored and the
amount of tokens corresponding to the priority value may be
increased with each new request which has higher value--if the
first road resource user wants to keep the road resource
assigned/reserved, the currently assigned resource user might be
required to always offer the highest price. In case if there is no
road resource allocation agency to collect the tokens, the latest
resource owner may transfer the delta in priority value from the
previous priority value to the previous resource owner. This
eliminates the problem of setting a very high value/price and not
using already assigned resources.
[0061] The transferring 140 of the reservation for the road
resource may further comprise storing 146 information related to
the further request within the storage unit associated with the
first road resource user 100. For example, the information related
to the grant for the road resource may document the reservation for
the road resource for the third road resource user 300. In at least
some examples, the information related to the further request may
comprise information related to a priority value of the third road
resource user 300 for the road resource. The information related to
the further request may indicate the amount of tokens the third
road resource user 300 has spent for reserving the road resource.
The amount of tokens may be added to the priority value reservoir
comprised by the storage unit. For example, the storing 146 of the
information related to the further request may comprise adding 148a
the priority value of the third road resource user 300 for the road
resource to the priority value reservoir. Additionally or
alternatively, the storing 146 of the information related to the
further request may comprise transferring 148b the priority value
of the third road resource user 300 for the road resource from the
third road resource user 300 to the priority value reservoir. In
case the storage unit is managed by a central entity, the storing
146 of the information related to the further request may comprise
receiving an acknowledgement for the storing of the information
related to the further request by the central entity.
[0062] In at least some embodiments, a priority value (e.g. the
priority value of the first road resource user 100 for the road
resource, the (ego) priority value of the second road resource user
200 for the road resource, the priority value of the road resource
allocation entity 400 for the road resource and/or the priority
value of the third road resource user 300 for the road resource)
may change over time, e.g. be time-variant. For example, if the
road resource comprises a passage of a road resource user on a
segment of a road at a time interval, the priority value of the
first road resource user for the road resource may rise based on a
distance of the first road resource user to the road segment and/or
based on a time distance to the time interval. In at least some
embodiments, a priority value may also be based on available
alternatives: If alternatives are available, that are similar to
the road resource, a priority value of a road resource user may be
lower than if no or unfavorable alternatives are available.
[0063] In embodiments, the control module 14 (and/or a control
module 44 of FIG. 2b) may be implemented using one or more
processing units, one or more processing devices, any means for
processing, such as a processor, a computer or a programmable
hardware component being operable with accordingly adapted
software. In other words, the described function of the control
module 14; 44 may as well be implemented in software, which is then
executed on one or more programmable hardware components. Such
hardware components may comprise a general purpose processor, a
Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a micro-controller, etc.
[0064] More details and aspects of the method and/or the apparatus
10 are mentioned in connection with the proposed concept or one or
more examples described above or below (e.g. FIGS. 2a to 2b). The
method and/or the apparatus 10 may comprise one or more additional
optional features corresponding to one or more aspects of the
proposed concept or one or more examples described above or
below.
[0065] FIG. 2a shows a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for
a road resource allocation entity 400. The method comprises
receiving 410 a request for a road resource from a road resource
user 100 (e.g. the first resource user 100 introduced in connection
with FIGS. 1a to 1c). The request for the road resource is based on
a priority value of the road resource user 100 for the road
resource. The method further comprises determining 420 a priority
value of the road resource allocation entity 400 for the road
resource. The method further comprises granting 430 the request for
the road resource, if the priority value of the road resource user
100 for the road resource is higher than the priority value of the
road resource allocation entity 400 for the road resource. The
method further comprises storing 440 information related to the
grant for the road resource within a storage unit associated with
the road resource allocation entity 400.
[0066] FIG. 2b shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a
corresponding apparatus 40 for the road resource allocation entity
400. The apparatus 40 comprises at least one interface 42 for
communicating with the road resource user 100. The apparatus 40
further comprises a control module 44 configured to receive a
request for a road resource from the road resource user 100. The
request for the road resource is based on a priority value of the
road resource user 100 for the road resource. The control module 44
is configured to determine a priority value of the road resource
allocation entity 400 for the road resource. The control module 44
is configured to grant the request for the road resource, if the
priority value of the road resource user 100 for the road resource
is higher than the priority value of the road resource allocation
entity 400 for the road resource. The control module 44 is
configured to store information related to the grant for the road
resource within a storage unit 46 associated with the road resource
allocation entity 400. In various embodiments, as further shown in
FIG. 2b, the apparatus 40 may comprise the storage unit 46. If not
specified otherwise, the control module 44 may be configured to
perform the method of FIG. 2a. FIG. 2b further shows the road
resource allocation entity 400 comprising the apparatus 40.
[0067] In at least some embodiments, the request for the road
resource received 410 from the road resource user 100 may
correspond to or may be implemented similar to the request for the
road resource transmitted 122 by the road resource user 100 of
FIGS. 1a and 1b.
[0068] In various examples, the priority value of the road resource
allocation entity 400 for the road resource may be determined 420
individually for each road resource user. For example, the priority
value of the road resource allocation entity 400 for the road
resource may be determined 420 based on a presence of further road
resource users in a vicinity of the road resource user 100 or based
on a traffic flow of a segment of a road associated with the road
resource allocation entity 400. In at least some embodiments, the
priority value may be determined 420 based on the priority value of
the road resource user 100 for the road resource. For example, the
road resource allocation entity 400 may receive the priority value
of the road resource user 100 within the (reservation) request for
the road resource, and may decide based on the received priority
value, if it is high enough. If it is high enough, the road
resource allocation entity 400 may determine 420 the priority value
for the road resource to match the priority value of the road
resource user 100 for the road resource. Alternatively, the
determining 420 may comprise determining, how valuable it is for
the road resource allocation entity 400 to leave the road resource
unreserved, e.g. based on traffic flow considerations or based on
noise considerations. In various examples, the (reservation)
request of the road resource user 100 for the road resource may be
granted 420 if the priority value of the road resource user 100
indicates, that it is more valuable to the road resource user 100
to use the road resource than it is to the road resource allocation
entity 400 to leave the road resource unreserved.
[0069] In at least some embodiments, the method further comprises
transmitting the priority value of the road resource allocation
entity 400 for the road resource to the road resource user 100. For
example, the method may comprise periodically broadcasting the
priority value of the road resource allocation entity 400 for the
road resource, e.g. using a (direct or cellular) vehicular
communication protocol. Alternatively, the method may comprise
transmitting the priority value of the road resource allocation
entity 400 for the road resource to the road resource user 100 in
response to the (reservation) request of the road resource user
100.
[0070] In at least some embodiments, the method may comprise
negotiating the reservation for the road resource for the road
resource user 100 based on the received 420 request for the road
resource and based on the information related to a priority value
of the road resource allocation entity 400 for the road
resource.
[0071] In various embodiments, the granting 430 of the request for
the road resource may comprise transmitting an indication to the
road resource user 100, that the reservation for the road resource
for the road resource user 100 is/was successful. Alternatively,
the granting 430 of the request for the road resource may comprise
transmitting a broadcast that the road resource is reserved by the
road resource user 100. For example, the grant for the road
resource may be based on a blockchain data structure. The granting
430 of the request for the road resource may comprise transmitting
at least a part of the blockchain data structure comprising
information related to the reservation for the road resource user
100 for the road structure.
[0072] In at least some embodiments, the storage unit associated
with the road resource allocation entity 400 comprises a priority
value reservoir. The storing 440 of the information related to the
grant may comprise adding the priority value (e.g. an amount of
tokens corresponding to the priority value) of the road resource
user 100 for the road resource to the priority value reservoir.
Additionally or alternatively, the storing of the information
related to the grant may comprise transferring the priority value
(e.g. the amount of tokens) of the road resource user for the road
resource from the road resource user 100 to the priority value
reservoir of the road resource allocation entity 400. In some
examples, the priority value of the road resource user 100 may
correspond to an amount of tokens. Granting 430 the request for the
road resource may indicate, that the amount of tokens corresponding
to the priority value is to be transferred (or has been
transferred) by the road resource user 100 to the road resource
allocation entity 400, and the amount of tokens may be added to a
priority value reservoir of the storage unit of the road resource
allocation entity 400 to store 440 the information related to the
grant. In a basic example, the information related to the grant may
correspond to the priority value of the road resource user 100 or
to the amount of tokens. In case the storage unit is managed by a
central entity, the storing 440 of the information related to the
grant may comprise transmitting the information related to the
grant to a central entity and receiving an acknowledgement for the
storing of the information related to the grant by the central
entity.
[0073] In at least some embodiments, a road resource is either
associated with a road resource allocation entity or not associated
with a road resource allocation entity. A road resource may be
associated with a road resource allocation entity, if a road
resource allocation entity at least initially grants a reservation
for the road resource. The method may further comprise, if the road
resource allocation entity 400 receives a survey signal related to
the road resource (asking, whether the road resource is associated
with a road resource allocation entity), responding to the survey
signal with an indication, that the road resource is associated
with the road resource allocation entity 400. Alternatively or
additionally, the method may comprise periodically broadcasting the
indication, that the road resource is associated with the road
resource allocation entity.
[0074] Embodiments may provide a broker at complex transport
situations. At least some embodiments are based on Connectivity,
V2X and/or Charging.
[0075] In the world of connected vehicles, the information about
the desired path or lane on the road, e.g. at complex
intersections, might be exchanged among road resource users. This
may enable new dimension of path and trajectory planning, which may
be based on the constant information exchange about the desired
path and preferences among all involved road resource users.
[0076] In at least some systems, the path selection may be based on
the observed traffic and participant's behavior. For the long-time
strategic planning, statistics may play an important role. For the
short time trajectory and path planning, the involved road resource
users may usually exchange information about the desired
trajectory. For example, one vehicle may observe the current road
situation, then build its own desired path and then inform other
participants about it. Such exchange may be done in a so-called
"reactive" manner, i.e. first observe the road conditions and
limitations and then build the own plan based on it. This might not
be sufficiently adaptive to various constantly changing factors,
which may impact the optimality of the selected decision. Such
factors may be of objective and subjective nature, which may make
it even more complex to conduct a proper negotiation and selection
and execution phase. Furthermore, in at least some embodiments, it
may be important to check for or guarantee authenticity, integrity
and non-repudiation of the exchanged information.
[0077] At least some systems for coordinating road planning and
distributed value negotiations may attempt to provide both
distributed negotiation mechanisms of the road cost function as
well as methods to control the correctness of the advertised road
action plan.
[0078] At least some approaches might not include the information
how the current selected path or trajectory is actually important
for the given road resource user, since the "importance" might be
driven besides objective also by subjective constraints. For
example, two vehicles may be assumed: vehicle vA has a goal to
achieve a destination with minimum fuel consumption and can
tolerate some time-of-arrival variations and does not have any
preferences for the path or lane used to reach the destination; and
vehicle vB, which serves as a taxi, has to bring its passenger as
soon as possible and values the "best" path to the destination the
most. Moreover, if the taxi cannot reach the destination in the
required time, the price for the longer time might be
irrelevant.
[0079] In at least some embodiments, vehicles may build, negotiate
and trade the cost value (e.g. the priority value), i.e. "price",
for each parameter that may be relevant for the vehicle on the
road. Such "price" (priority value) may be a constantly varying
parameter, which may depend on both objective and subjective
factors, similarly as it may be done in current trading systems. As
an example, the market price for oil or real estate can
significantly change within minutes just because of some news
announcement, which might have nothing to do with the relevant
industry but influences the subjective preferences of the involved
traders. Similarly, applying this to at least some embodiments, the
price (priority value) of the road segment (e.g. the road resource)
might become dynamically significantly higher at rush hours and
decrease at night.
[0080] In order to properly handle the trading process and avoid
possible "price inflation", at least some embodiments may apply the
rules similar to the real marker, e.g.: [0081] (All) road resource
users may be divided into users and "owners" of the certain
road-relevant parameter or property (e.g. of a road resource).
Where the owner might be a constant owner (e.g. the road resource
allocation entity 400), e.g. the government which owns select road
segment or a temporal owner (e.g. the road resource user 100 or the
second road resource user 200). In the latter case, the temporal
owner may be a user that received certain road-relevant service for
a temporal use, e.g. booked parking lot for the limited time.
[0082] Additionally, a limited number of tokens (corresponding to
property values) may be assigned for road resource users (road
resource users) based on the rules defined by the owner of the
road-relevant parameters/properties and based on the common
transport regulation rules. Then the tokens may be traded for some
price among road resource users to earn extra tokens--if the
parameters/properties they own are not relevant at the moment and
hence can be offered to others. Similarly, to enable the required
driving maneuver, extra tokens may be acquired through the "price"
negotiation from others, e.g. by transferring a reservation for a
road resource.
[0083] At least some embodiments may be based on the idea that
vehicles rank internally their cost (e.g. the priority value) for
the desired path, trajectory, time-of-arrival, the utilized energy
and comfort and trade it among each other by the means of V2X
(Vehicle-to-X) and C-V2X (Cellular V2X) communications in order to
get the most desired road conditions. I.e. propose to consider each
road segment of interest as a multidimensional resource, where the
values of each dimension (i.e. "price") are the matter of
subjective and objective parameters, which may be changed arbitrary
(e.g. by the road owner) or via cooperative negotiation among road
partners.
[0084] At least some embodiments may be applied in a direct manner,
i.e. ad-hoc or with the help of the centralized server (e.g. the
road resource allocation entity 400) that controls/own the road
(coordinated). The first scenario may be relevant for the
free-of-charge roads, whereas the second may be suitable for the
toll-enabled roads. The main difference in the case of toll-enabled
roads may be that in this situation each road and driving parameter
(such as recommended velocity, distance between vehicles, etc.)
might have pre-defined resource usage cost, set by the road owner.
Additionally, in this case, there might be, besides ego-optimal
solutions also requirements to fulfill the global optima or
characterized by the set of constraints, defined by the road
owner.
[0085] In the following, an ad hoc approach is illustrated. Some
vehicle vA (e.g. the first vehicle 100) may calculate a trajectory
and other relevant road parameters for each road segment in a
generic manner (as it is done in other systems, e.g. via
distributed-ledger technology (e.g. a blockchain)). If a trajectory
is found, the vehicle may book it and set the (priority value)
value of this booked trajectory for the road segment (region around
the vehicle), e.g. the road resource, which this vehicle may
influence while driving. Then the vehicle may broadcast the booked
trajectory and the price (in aforementioned terms) to others,
repeating it periodically or upon request.
[0086] Another vehicle vB (e.g. the third road resource user 300)
which wants to plan its own path, may receive the information about
the current status of the road segments (booked or not and the
price). If vehicle vB then wants to travel the trajectory that is
already booked, it may send the "rebooking" requests (e.g. the
further request related to the road resource) with the new offered
"price" (priority value). With the "offered price", vehicle vB
informs vA (directly or through the road resource allocation
function) to re-plan its planned trajectory such that vB can
achieve its desired driving conditions or to offer even higher
"price" for it.
[0087] Then the negotiation process may start between two vehicles,
which may result either in finding a new value for the booked road
segment that is acceptable (i.e. the cost of required resources is
within the acceptable level) for all involved partners or (i.e. if
the cost of required resources exceeds the acceptable level) a
"reject rebooking" is sent. In this case, the parameters, which
define the impact of one vehicle on the ability of other vehicle to
reach its planned destination, may be included in the negotiation
messages.
[0088] In the following, an approach with a centralized road owner
is illustrated. In the case if some third-party entity controls the
road, the booking of the road segment may also include sending
booking requests to the road operator. Additionally, different road
segments might have different pre-defined set of "prices" which may
be characterized by the predefined "price properties". For the road
operation, the overall road throughput and safety might also be
relevant. In this case, the value of the road segment might have
different properties and the negotiation message may include
different information.
[0089] Such approaches may improve certain situations, such as
"green light wave", "intersection without traffic lights", might
allow more freedom for pedestrians and vulnerable road resource
users to cross the street etc., may eliminate the need in having
dedicated lanes for the public transportation.
[0090] As already mentioned, in embodiments the respective methods
may be implemented as computer programs or codes, which can be
executed on a respective hardware. Hence, another embodiment is a
computer program having a program code for performing at least one
of the above methods, when the computer program is executed on a
computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component. A
further embodiment is a computer readable storage medium storing
instructions which, when executed by a computer, processor, or
programmable hardware component, cause the computer to implement
one of the methods described herein.
[0091] A person of skill in the art would readily recognize that
steps of various above-described methods can be performed by
programmed computers, for example, positions of slots may be
determined or calculated. Herein, some embodiments are also
intended to cover program storage devices, e.g., digital data
storage media, which are machine or computer readable and encode
machine-executable or computer-executable programs of instructions
where said instructions perform some or all of the steps of methods
described herein. The program storage devices may be, e.g., digital
memories, magnetic storage media such as magnetic disks and
magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable digital data
storage media. The embodiments are also intended to cover computers
programmed to perform said steps of methods described herein or
(field) programmable logic arrays ((F)PLAs) or (field) programmable
gate arrays ((F)PGAs), programmed to perform said steps of the
above-described methods.
[0092] The description and drawings merely illustrate the
principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those
skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements
that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the
principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and
scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally
intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the
reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the
concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and
are to be construed as being without limitation to such
specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all
statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of
the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended
to encompass equivalents thereof. When provided by a processor, the
functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a
single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual
processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of
the term "processor" or "controller" should not be construed to
refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and
may implicitly include, without limitation, Digital Signal
Processor (DSP) hardware, network processor, application specific
integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA),
read only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory
(RAM), and non-volatile storage. Other hardware, conventional or
custom, may also be included. Their function may be carried out
through the operation of program logic, through dedicated logic,
through the interaction of program control and dedicated logic, or
even manually, the particular technique being selectable by the
implementer as more specifically understood from the context.
[0093] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of
illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the invention.
Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow
diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like
represent various processes which may be substantially represented
in computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or
processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly
shown.
[0094] Furthermore, the following claims are hereby incorporated
into the detailed description, where each claim may stand on its
own as a separate embodiment. While each claim may stand on its own
as a separate embodiment, it is to be noted that--although a
dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination
with one or more other claims--other embodiments may also include a
combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each
other dependent claim. Such combinations are proposed herein unless
it is stated that a specific combination is not intended.
Furthermore, it is intended to include also features of a claim to
any other independent claim even if this claim is not directly made
dependent to the independent claim.
[0095] It is further to be noted that methods disclosed in the
specification or in the claims may be implemented by a device
having means for performing each of the respective steps of these
methods.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0096] 10 Apparatus for a road resource user [0097] 12 At least one
interface [0098] 14 Control module [0099] 16 Storage unit [0100] 40
Apparatus for a road resource allocation entity [0101] 42 At least
one interface [0102] 44 Control module [0103] 46 Storage unit
[0104] 100 Road resource user [0105] 110 Determining a priority
value of a road resource user for the road resource [0106] 112
Receiving information related to a priority value of a second road
resource user for the road resource [0107] 120 Reserving a/the road
resource [0108] 122 Transmitting a request for the road resource
[0109] 124 Receiving a grant for the road resource [0110] 126
Storing information related to the grant for the road resource
[0111] 128a Subtracting the priority value from a priority value
reservoir [0112] 128b Transferring the priority value to a second
road resource user or to a road resource allocation entity [0113]
130 Asserting the road resource [0114] 140 Transferring the
reservation for the road resource [0115] 142 Receiving a further
request for the road resource [0116] 144 Granting the further
request for the road resource [0117] 146 Storing information
related to the further request [0118] 148a Adding the priority
value of a third road resource user to a priority value reservoir
[0119] 148b Transferring the priority value of a third road
resource user to a priority value reservoir [0120] 200 Second road
resource user [0121] 300 Third road resource user [0122] 400 Road
resource allocation entity [0123] 410 Receiving a request for a
road resource [0124] 420 Determining a priority value [0125] 430
Granting the request for the road resource [0126] 440 Storing
information related to the grant
* * * * *